There are a lot of monsters in the world, and tiny badger isn't afraid of any of them. Yes, perhaps he has an overinflated ego, but at least he doesn't quit. His teeth are sharp and his brain is sharper. He charges at publishing conglomerates and book critics. He leaps onto their desks and bares …
The Second Monster
Mom loved the dog more than us. She didn't mean to, but when one is contemplating suicide, the dog is probably just easier to love. His name was Jack and he was a German Shepherd. The year I was born she picked Jack from a litter of puppies and my grandmother picked his sister Jill. …
The First Monster
The monster took up most of the street. It was half man and half light and his voice boomed and popped, but made no sense. The lights flashed through the windows--red and blue, red and blue--and I thought he'd knock down the house if he wasn't let in. I hid in a small, dark space, …
There’s a Man at My Window
The man at my window didn't say anything; he just stared. But I was 12 years old and asleep--what was he going to say? We have that sense when something is wrong, that the world is slipping dangerously, and that we need to pay attention. When I woke up at 5 in the morning, I …
The Princess and the Pea (or you and your rejection)
Excuses and qualifications and hesitations come to me like breathing. Holding them back is like holding my breath too long. When I was a kid (oh now see, you let one memory in and then they all want to join in), I asked my father questions like this, "Well, Dad, I was wondering that if, …
Continue reading The Princess and the Pea (or you and your rejection)
Elves in Hot Air Balloons Bring Presents
One more memory because three is a magic number. After this I really must get back to life now and the novel therein. Like I wrote the other night, I believed my father when he told me that Santa's elves were flying over our house in hot air balloons. He woke me up one warm …
The Witch’s House
Writing about the lake back home reminds me of what was good and magical about childhood. For the longest time the winding road to my father's house curved through orange groves, cow pastures, and bits of woods. At one particular curve, if you looked quickly enough to the left, you could see through the trees …
Fire Works Magic
My father's house is on a lake, and across the lake is a country club. For many years, and they may do so still, the country club sent up fireworks on the Fourth of July. My dad and I would sit on the edge of the dock, throw Merita bread to the catfish, and watch …
Badgering: The Blood-Stained Paws Edition
Tiny badger is late because tiny badger spent too much time at the bookstore nibbling on books. Boy, is tiny badger picky. He marches up and down the aisles, stands on shelves with his tiny badger paws on his not-so-tiny badger hips, and he shakes his head and gnashes his teeth. Ever heard the gnashing …
Marta Bacon 